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A month ago, a friend of mine told me, "John MacArthur probably wouldn't like your teaching."
It kind of hurt to hear that. Now, when I say that it hurt, please do not misunderstand me. When I say 'hurt', I'm not upset that my friend said what he said. In fact, I'm glad that he said it, even if it hurt a little bit. I wasn't hurt in the classical sense of having been offended, rather perhaps there was some truth in the statement.
You see, I like to think that John would like me. I prefer to think that way because I really respect John MacArthur and enjoy his teaching. He is much more knowledgeable and studied in the scriptures than I am, so I listen to what he says. Since I admire his teaching, I prefer to think that he would like mine. I would hope that if I were a part of his church, that he would encourage me to use the gifts that God has given me.
How would I respond if it were otherwise? I mean, suppose I went to John MacArthur's church and he gave a sermon about witnessinig or evangelism. And suppose that he saw me witnessing or doing my best to tell the good news, but just didn't like what he saw. How would that conversation go?
"Kevin..."
"Yes Pastor John."
"Kevin, do you remember when I taught last week about how every believer needs to be about the business of reaching the world for Christ?"
"Yes John. I really enjoyed that sermon. In fact, I've just written a book in an attempt to do exactly that."
"Well Kevin, that's the reason why I wanted to talk to you. I read your book yesterday and unfortunately, I was wrong in my sermon last Sunday. I no longer believe that every Christian should be doing their part to tell others about Jesus. After reading your book, I really don't think that you should be telling people about Jesus at all. I think that you should just help out in the nursery. I don't think that you could do as much damage there."
In short, I hope that my friend was wrong. (But there is a good chance that he is right.)
A friend had this superb explanation of how he presents the gospel:
ReplyDelete"If the person is someone that has been involved in religion for a long time and is still not saved, I would hit them hard with the law. Religious people think they are pretty good people, and pretty good people have no need of a Saviour. I would tell them that all their religious activity won`t satisfy the wrath of God. I would tell them that, comparing themselves to other religious people and doing what they do, won`t get them into heaven. God doesn`t grade on a curve. I would tell them that the method they are using to get right with God (their own moral standard, or in other words, the law) won`t satisfy the demands of a holy God. I would try to show them how far short they fall of God`s perfect standard, and how much they need Jesus. Once the law comes and pulls the carpet out from under them (or whatever they are leaning on) then I would give them the gospel.
"When confronting drunks, dopeheads, prostitutes etc, I would give them the gospel right off the hop. Tell them about Jesus. Tell them some stories like Jesus and the women at the well, the sinner women who washed the feet of Jesus with her hair and he simply forgave her, the adulterous women that Jesus told `neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more`. Simple stories about Jesus`s love and mercy. Then I would tell them how he willingly went to the cross and how God laid the sin of the world on Him and how he died, and went to hell. Then I would tell them how God raised him from the dead showing that the wrath of God was satisfied, and how he is now seated at the right hand of God, representing us before the Father. Also I would tell them how Jesus sent His Spirit to live in His believers and how he is coming again soon to take all those that believe this home to heaven where there will be no more sorrow, sadness or sin. Only peace, joy, and love forever. I would also make sure to tell them that through religion you can never know you`re saved, but that through faith in Jesus Christ, and getting to heaven on His merits not our own, we can be sure today. I would tell them that if they will simply believe that what Jesus did is enough to get them into heaven, that God will count them as completely righteous today. I would explain how that Jesus became our sin so that we could be made His righteousness. How that when God looks at us He sees perfection. He sees only the righteousness of Jesus Christ and that`s all that matters. If you can get them to believe that, then they will be saved. Praying a prayer won`t save them. Asking God to save them, won`t save them. God saves people who are trusting in the finished work of Christ. God saves people who believe what Jesus did is enough, and don`t add anything from their own soul or their own works.
"All God wants is thanksgiving. When a free gift is offered, the worse thing a person can do is to offer anything in return. There is little else that is more offensive then someone offering to give something in return upon receiving a free gift. So many people are doing that. So many people are paying God back for the gift of salvation and are frustrating the grace of God. It`s like slapping God in the face and telling Him His gift is not sufficient.
"It is the hardest thing in the world for people to admit that they're nothing but double scheming sinners worthy of the fires of hell with no hope in themselves. Once a person gets a look at who we really are, compared to God, there is no more doubt that without Christ we are all hopelessly damned."
Amazing, isn't it? And this guy is as blue collar as you! (Except that he doesn't have any books published.) :)
As blue collar as me? Well...my Mufflerman unifrom really is blue and it has a collar. Does he actually have a blue collar unoform?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that Travis.
John MacArthur never uses fictional dialog as a literary device, so he probably wouldn't like this blog post either.
ReplyDeleteJust sayin'... you might want to run that past your "friend".
Jesus used fictional dialog...
ReplyDelete